1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
Watching my granddaughter, Virginia Rose, grow and change over these past fifteen months has been one of my life's dearest joys. Her world is full of wide-eyed wonder and endless curiosity as she crawls from one toy to the next, high-tails it after the cat, or pulls herself up on a chair or sofa. Her cheerful disposition reflects the love and affection given her. The attentive care she receives provides a safe, secure environment where she can explore in confidence and trust.
Her innocence in all she does is a sweet breath of fresh air in my adult world which knows all too bitterly the stench of evil. Even when she does something she should not, like playing in the cat's water, reaching for a plug outlet, or patting the "kittah", as she calls it, a little too roughly, none of these is committed with wicked intent. At her cognitive stage, premeditated acts of malice are impossible to conceive. She is a blessed infant, unblemished by the wiles of evil.
In today's scripture, Paul exhorts the church at Corinth to stop thinking childishly, to fully embrace the gospel and live it out as adults. However, as grown up as they should be in their thinking, they are to be as blameless as babes when it comes to acting on temptations to sin. They are not to be naive, imagining evil does not exist, but rather, they should, in their childlike state, be incapable of committing sin in the first place.
Paul is concerned that, in all things and in all ways, the Corinthians should be building up the church, encouraging the members, and presenting to the world a model for Christian living. Selfish striving, a sin in itself, is not the direction to take.
Let us reflect upon this today: How can we be as wise as serpents in our minds and innocent as doves in our hearts? (Matthew 10:16b)
Readings
Psalms 119:1-24 or 12, 13, 14
Jeremiah 37:3-21
1 Corinthians 14:13-25
Matthew 10:24-33
Wonderful post as ever.Basically all the religions preach the same principles.
ReplyDeleteAwh, children do have such an innocence. . .it is refreshing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Janu and Pam!
ReplyDelete@Janu - yes, the golden rule comes quickly to mind!
@Pam - the innocence of a child is absolutely refreshing to mind, body and spirit!
Blessings! :)
Think with child like faith....As always...As always ...XOXOXOXOXO
ReplyDeleteI loved this message Martha! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bonnie and Jessica, for stopping by! Ahhh! The faith of a child . . .
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
That childlike state is such a pure place. Lovely post Martha.
ReplyDeleteIts times like this you wish they would grow up a little slower
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting today, Leah and Larry!
ReplyDelete@Leah - thank you for your kind words; we are to become like little children . . .
@Larry - Oh, yes, I wish my little granddaughter would slow down her growing just a bit, although there is also such sweetness in seeing her accomplish more things. :)
Blessings!
Good post. I like that you did not advocate ignorance of evil (as many people interpret) but critical, adult thinking (as the second clause advises) with purity of heart to build up in love the body of Christ. And as you said, "to be as blameless as babes when it comes to acting on temptations to sin." It does not build up the body of Christ to be ignorant of evil or to imagine that you are better than others because you are naive about evil.
ReplyDeleteWow, Leah! You sure took a visit back in time here. I so appreciate your wonderful comment.
ReplyDeleteYes, we must admit to the existence of evil and the presence of it in our lives. Otherwise, we let our guard down and that's precisely what the evil one wants us to do.
Blessings to you! :)